The South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) is calling on government and relevant partners to strengthen measures towards protecting the country’s water infrastructure.
The Commission released its policy brief on recommendations on how to tackle water mafias and what it termed as the systemic sabotage of essential water infrastructure on Wednesday.
The policy brief covers a wide range of aspects including the impacts of water infrastructure vandalism on the public and economic costs thereafter.
SAHRC spokesperson, Wisani Baloyi provided an overview of some of the recommendations the commission made in the brief.
‘’The policy brief seeks to be a clarion call that the cabinet member responsible for policing, add activities targeting water services infrastructure to the policing priorities and needs in the Draft National Policing Policy (October 2023), finalise and adopt the Draft National Policing Policy.
That the Office of the President Proclaim and promulgate the remainder of the Critical Infrastructure Protection Act 8 of 2019.
That the deliberate sabotage of water-related infrastructure to the extent where it is deliberately accompanied with an intent to instil fear, public panic or overthrow the current order while causing serious water disruption should be considered as constituting a terrorist activity in terms of the Protection of Constitutional Democracy against Terrorist and Related Activities Amendment Act of 23 of 22,’’ Baloyi outlined.
He added that the policy brief has already been shared with the Presidency, the Police, Water and Sanitation Ministry, the National Director of Public Prosecutions and the Office of the Chief Justice.
The Commission warned that the rampant destruction of critical water infrastructure not only poses a threat to the country’s water security but also endangers the livelihood of the residents.
